Words every PR new pro should know

Katie Levien // May 18, 2011 // Public Relations // No Comments

*This post is part of Bailey Gardiner’s What New PR Pros Need to Know series, which offers advice, insights and guidance to students and new professionals who want to learn more about the PR industry. Topics and suggestions are welcomed.

Ever catch yourself talking to a friend about what you do, and notice a blank stare on their face? PR has a language of its own, and when you take into consideration the plethora of media terms and marketing-speak we use on a daily basis, it’s easy to get lost in the ever-evolving industry words and jargon. New PR pros, no need to fret, I’ve compiled a list of the top words and phrases PR pros in training need to know. Enjoy:

• Wire distribution/distro – Short for sending a press release through a distribution service. Usually used when you need to cover a broad scope of media outlets in a short amount of time – also when you need to announce breaking news quickly.

• Clip – Refers to an article or news mention you’ve secured for a client. For example, you’ve been pitching the launch of a new product, and San Diego Magazine included the item in a story about cool new gadgets – after capturing the coverage, you can refer to the individual placement as a hit or clip. 

• Masthead  – The publication title that appears across the first page, front cover, or title page of each issue. The masthead is often referred to when someone is compiling a clip for reporting purposes. The masthead and copy of the article are usually cut and pasted together in order to present an organized and condensed version of the placement.

• Round up – A summary of items combined to create a news trend. For example, there are a ton of round ups on gift giving, especially around the holidays. Top ten gifts for mom, The ultimate Valentine’s Day Guide to Romance, so on and so forth. The story is comprised of a variety of options for a particular topic. This is often a smaller mention, but an excellent way to get your brand in front of bigger media outlets. 

• Hit time – Often used when coordinating television interviews, a hit time refers to the estimated time of a live interview. These times may change depending on breaking news stories for the day, but it gives a general idea of when the spokesperson can expect to go on camera.

• Segment – Refers to a block of time used to discuss a specific topic on television or radio broadcast. There may be several hit times throughout the segment, but all fall under one segment pertaining to a certain issue or topic.

• B-roll – Previously taped footage that can be used for an interview. For example, if you are promoting an annual event and have footage from the year before, you may be able to loop video from the previous year’s event into an on-air segment. It’s usually used as an added value for television.

So, what else is on your list? We all know the list is long and ever-growing.